


A Yellow Rose Among Thorns

by wallbanger2008



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:07:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24256369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wallbanger2008/pseuds/wallbanger2008
Summary: A series of snapshots from when April moved into the sewers to live with the guys for a while. They've been used to doing their own thing for so long...it's going to take some adjusting on everyone's part.There's an Apritello thing that's also hapening. They'll get there.Tags added as more chapters are added.
Relationships: Donatello/April O'Neil (TMNT)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 100





	1. In the Bathroom

**Author's Note:**

> The guys don't have use for too many products in the bathroom, so it's pretty sparse in there usually. That all changes when April moves in. 
> 
> Oh, and Donnie learns something new about his crush.

A lot of things changed when April moved into the lair. Some things were more noticeable than others.

Something not as noticeable, for example, was that the guys were slightly better behaved when she was around—emphasis on the word slightly. But there was a quantifiable downturn in the amount of burps and farts randomly being ripped in the pit.

Something very noticeable, however, was what was happening in the bathroom.

Before April moved in, the bathroom had been empty of products save for five color-coded toothbrushes, some toothpaste, and a collection of partially-used bar soaps.

But now... Now the medicine cabinet was stocked with over the counter medicine for humans and boxes of feminine care products, and the bar soap collection in the shower was losing ground to fragrant body washes, loofahs, feminine razors, and bottles of hair care products, each one promising something different, like “Frizz Free” and “No More Split Ends.”

The guys were fascinated.

All of them were guilty of snooping through April’s things at one point or another when they had been alone in the bathroom. And all of them had experimented with her body washes and found they preferred their fruity and flowery scents to the plain, clean scent of their bar soaps. If any of them noticed their brothers were starting to smell like “pomegranate mango splash,” they said nothing.

Donatello, though, had been the only one to actually talk to her about all the new things that had cropped up on their bathroom.

“Do you actually _use_ all of this?” Donnie asked a week after she’d moved in, his tone a mix of genuine curiosity and disbelief. He had just come out of the bathroom holding bottles of conditioner, moisturizer, and Nair for Sensitive Skin in one giant hand, and a long-handled loofah in the other.

April jumped up from where she’d been lounging on the couch and hustled over to him. “Donnie! Yeah, I do! Now go put it away!”

Donnie was examining the bottles. His brow furrowed at the depilatory cream. “Hair remover?” he mumbled. “But you have a razor—seems like a redundancy...”

“It’s not for my legs, Don,” April said flatly, rolling her eyes.

He looked puzzled. “Well then what the heck do you need it ffff...”

April could almost see a literal light bulb blinking on over his head. “Oh. OH. Uh, well that’s...um, yeeeah ok,” he stammered as his face turned pink. “I’ll just uh, yeah.”

He moved to go put her things back in the bathroom, but paused, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Um, when you say it’s not for your legs,” he said, unsuccessfully trying to sound casual, “Uh, exactly how much, uh, I mean, is it just a little bit, or, uh, are you, uh...”

April cut him off, chuckling. “Let’s just say, I prefer hardwood floors to carpet. Now go put it back.”

“Right...right, that is good to, uh, I’ll do that.” He walked off, torn between trying to erase the fact that April...did that...from his mind and filing that piece of information away forever to be accessed only when he was alone.

April watched him go and shook her head. Well, at least it hadn’t been as awkward as when she walked into the bathroom and found Mikey staring, fascinated, at her tampons with compact applicators.


	2. Doors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys have never been great about knocking, which April is about to find out the hard way. Not that Mikey's bothered.

To say the turtles were close was an understatement. Sure, most brothers are close, but most brothers don’t also spend close to 24 hours a day together.

But the turtles did, and as a result there were certain boundaries that were weakened or just didn’t exist between them. 

One of those boundaries was bedroom doors. When they were children, Splinter had asked that they keep their doors open unless they were sleeping. He believed it would foster their team bond, and as a parent, he also liked being able to keep an eye on them. But once his sons had turned 10, he’d honored their growing desire for privacy and allowed them to shut their bedroom doors whenever they pleased. 

Of course, a closed bedroom door is no real physical boundary for someone who is intent on entering and the turtles had developed a bad habit of barging into each other’s rooms without knocking whenever they wanted something.

It was no big deal for a while—until they entered their teen years. After a few awkward encounters (mostly at the expense of Raph), the brothers learned to lock their doors if they didn’t want to be disturbed. Other than that, if a door was unlocked, it was fair game.

Unfortunately, the guys failed to mention this to April when she moved in.

A week and a half after she moved in, April was getting ready for bed. She’d stripped out of her pants and shirt and was about to take off her bra when something caught her attention in the mirror that Donnie had hung up for her.

She peered into the mirror, examining her face. And dang it, sure enough she had a zit, right there in the corner of her forehead. She knew she shouldn’t mess with it, but it was so tempting. To hold herself off, she starting rearranging her bangs, trying to hide the zit.

“WHADDUP APE!”

April jumped at the sound of her door banging open and whirled around to see Michelangelo standing there. He stopped in his tracks, his hand still on the knob, and was looking like a deer in the headlights.

“MIKEY WHAT THE HELL!?” April screeched, scrambling to cover her bra and panties with her hands before yanking the cover off the nearby bed and holding it in front of her.

“Jesus, knock much?” she fumed.

Mikey blinked a few times then appeared to shake himself out of it. His goofy smile returned. “April! Nice skivvies!” he laughed and gave her a thumbs up.

April rolled her eyes and silently thanked god that she was just wearing plain, navy blue cotton panties and a mismatched sports bra. She had bikinis that covered less.

“Mikey, why didn’t you knock?” she sighed in exasperation. “I could’ve been naked!”

“That would’ve been wild,” Mikey said giggling.

“Mike!”

Mikey waved a hand dismissively. “Sorry Charlie, not used to knocking. Me and the bros have an open door policy.”

“My door was closed!”

“But not locked,” he shrugged. “Anyway,” he continued, walking in and sitting on her bed as if everything was normal. “I wanted to see if you wanted in on a bedtime snack. And by bedtime snack, I mean a bagel bites eating competition between me and Raph. Last time I scarfed like 46 of those babies before I...WHOA!” He suddenly pointed at her.

“That is one honkin’ zit you’ve got on your melon!” he yelled.

April, who had been staring at him in disbelief, snapped out of it. “MIKEY—get out of my room!”

“Yeesh, don’t take it so personally, man,” he said, bouncing off her bed and heading to the door. He stopped in the doorframe. “You know Donnie’s got some stuff in the lab that’ll clear that sucker up, like, pronto,” he said, clearly in no hurry to leave.

April charged over—or tried to before tripping on the bed sheet that she was still holding in front of her. _To hell with it,_ she thought, throwing it aside and out of her way. He’s already seen it all.

She stomped across her room in her bra and panties, palmed Mikey’s face and shoved him out the door. “Knock next time!” She yelled after him, before closing the door again and locking it firmly.

Michelangelo walked away shaking his head. He got barely 10 feet before he saw Donatello charging up to him.

“What’s going on? I heard yelling. It sounded like April. Is she ok?” Donnie demanded.

“Don’t sweat it Donnie,” Mikey waved him off. “April didn’t know about our locked door policy. No biggie.”

“Mikey...what happened?” Donnie said through gritted teeth.

“Nothing...just accidentally saw her in her undies and then she threw me out like I was Jazzy Jeff. We’re cool though,” Mikey said, traipsing off toward the kitchen.

It took a solid five minutes before Donnie’s brain began working properly again.


	3. Trash TV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The turtles react to April's guilty pleasure TV shows. 
> 
> And Donnie and April share a moment.

It takes a week or so of living in the lair before April feels comfortable grabbing the remote and turning on the tv to watch her guilty pleasure shows. 

She could watch shows like Real Housewives, Say Yes to the Dress, and Below Deck for hours. Before she lived with the guys, that’s often how she spent her weekend mornings. Especially if she’d been out fighting the night before. Yep, there was nothing like lying in front of the tube and letting the waves of junk TV just wash over her while she turned off her mind for a few hours. 

But that’s a lot easier to do when you’re an only child than when you’re sharing a TV with four other guys. 

To their credit, the guys didn’t push back too hard. Leo lasted a full 15 minutes into Vanderpump Rules episode before he left, mumbling about how it was affecting his belief that everyone is worth saving. 

Mikey had sampled a little bit of all her shows before declaring it was all boring and he had enough “dramaaaa” in his real life without having to see more on TV. He’d also astutely pointed out how mean everyone seemed to be in her shows in a way that left her questioning her own taste for a few minutes afterward. 

Donatello had stuck with her for a marathon of Say Yes to the Dress, but she suspected his motivation may have lain outside of pure entertainment. April couldn’t help but notice the way he was cutting eyes at her every time a new dress was trotted out, and she got the sneaking suspicion that he was picturing her in every single one of them. 

Of the four brothers, it had been Raph that had surprised her the most. He. Loved. Real Housewives. It would take him an episode or two to figure out who was who, but then he’d be hooked. His favorite was older episodes of New Jersey. He loved Caroline and loved to hate Danielle, genuinely giggling over her antics and gasping “That _bitch!”_ when she drove Theresa to famously flipping the table. 

It was the morning after one of their RHONJ mini marathons that Donnie had stopped him in the kitchen. “How can you watch that crap with her? I mean for hours?” he’d asked, barely masking his jealousy. 

Raph shrugged. “It’s not like the shows you, me, and the guys watch are high art. It’s just entertainment, don’t overthink it. Also, if I hear you talk about my Housewives like that again, I’ll rip your wig off,” he added before bursting out in laughter at Donnie’s confused face and walking out the door. 

A few days later, when Donnie noticed April alone in front of the TV, he heaved himself over the couch and joined her. “Whatcha watching?” 

“Below Deck.”

“Mind if I join you?”

“I’d love it,” April smiled warmly. 

Two hours later and Donatello was sucked in. Sort of. As an episode ended, he turned to April, looking bemused. “I don’t get it. How can they just...sleep with each other and then go on like nothing happened!?”

April shrugged. “It’s not a big deal for them. Just a, you know, friends with benefits situation.” 

“What’s that?” 

“When you’re friends but you like, hook up and stuff. But it doesn’t mean anything serious. You’re not dating each other.” She realized too late where this could be going and slowly turned toward Donatello. 

“Uh, not that I think I would be into that sort of thing,” she said, clearing her throat. 

Donnie nodded vigorously. “Yeah, yeah me too. I, uh, would definitely not want that sort of thing.” 

April couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped her. “No you would not. You are so not that guy.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Donnie demanded, looking offended. 

“It’s not a bad thing,” April laid a hand on his shoulder. “I just meant that I bet when you’re with a woman, you’re with her. You don’t...you know, play games or avoid commitment.” 

Donnie gave her a half smile. “Eh yeah, if there _were_ any women. Guess we’ll never know for sure.”

April suddenly felt a rush of affection toward her friend. “I know for sure,” she said matter of factly. Donnie raised an eyebrow. 

She shrugged. “Like, if you and I were together, like, _together together,”_ she wiggled her eyebrows and laughed at his ensuing blush and nervous grin. “I know I would never question how you felt about me.”

His beaming smile made her heart skip. “No, you would never have to question that,” he said softly. 

They stared at each other for a few seconds, both of them realizing the atmosphere around them had shifted. The spell was broken by the sound of someone banging a cabinet open in the kitchen. 

April jumped. “Oh, uh, you know what, I really need to get started on my reading for English class.” 

“Yeah, and I, uh, I have that...thing in the lab. I should...” Donnie gestured toward the lab. 

“Ok...later,” April stood up and started walking toward her room. She could tell Donatello hadn’t left the couch yet. Unable to stop herself, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. He smiled back and gave her a little wave and she knew in that moment she was right. She never had to question how he felt about her. 


	4. Hot Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikey still has a problem with knocking and the plumbing in the lair isn't great.

There’s nothing like a nice, hot shower at the end of the day, and this truth is never more evident than when that day included a brutal, five hour training session with one’s mutant ninja roommates. Especially if it ended with a round robin sparring session. 

April sighed and let the warm water wash over her as she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. She winced as she raised her arms to comb her fingers through her hair—she was going to be sore tomorrow. 

Most of the guys had not gone very easy on her. In fact, she had a nice set of bruises forming from Mikey just below her ribs. He wasn’t as skilled as the others at pulling his punches and she’d caught the business ends of his nunchaku a few times. He’d apologized after, but yeesh. 

The only one of them who had been soft on her was Donnie. He’d barely touched her during their sparing, and when he did he’d barely tapped her on the shoulder with his staff a few times. Although Splinter hadn’t deigned to comment on this, his brothers sure had. Leo had told him sternly that he wasn’t helping her improve by lobbing softballs at her. And Mikey and Raph had razzed him about coddling his precious April-poo. 

She’d stated outright that she agreed with Leo and made him promise not to do it again. But now, in the privacy of the shower, she could admit she was grateful. She was sore enough as it was. 

She’d just begun to lather herself up with soap when she heard the bathroom door bang open. 

“What the—who’s there?” she called, alarmed. The shower curtain was pretty opaque, so she wasn’t worried about anyone seeing her, but she wasn’t thrilled that someone had wandered into the bathroom while it was in use. 

“Oh heyyy Ape,” she heard Mikey’s voice from the other side of the curtain. “I didn’t know it was you in here...thought it was Raph. He takes the looooongest showers. Anyway, don’t mind me, I just gotta take a whiz and then I’ll be out of your hair.” 

“Mikey...” April sighed. “Didn’t we just talk about knocking the other day?”

“Yeah, but like I said, I thought you were Raph, just give me a second and I’ll be gone.”

She heard him flip up the toilet seat lid and cringed. “Do you really have to...” 

“When you gotta go, you gotta go,” he cut her off. “Now shush. I can’t pee when someone’s talking to me.” 

April stood in the shower, her mouth hanging open. She wanted to yell at him to get out, but...maybe it was just better to let him do his thing and get it over with. 

She landed on the latter, and soon enough she could hear Mikey finishing up and washing his hands. 

“See, no biggie, April. Mi bathroom is su bathroom,” he said as he flushed the toilet and walked out, shutting the door behind him. 

April rolled her eyes and continued soaping herself down. Or she tried to, because about five seconds later the water turned burning hot. She screamed and fumbled at the shower head to push the spray away from her. “Jesus Christ!” she shrieked. 

At that moment she heard the door bang open again. 

“Mikey!” 

“April are you ok!?” she heard Donnie’s voice shouting at the same time. 

“Donnie?” She peered around the side of the curtain, careful to keep from exposing too much. 

Even though he could only see her from just below her clavicle and up, it was enough to have an effect. He froze for a moment and stared at her before pulling himself together. 

“I heard you scream—what happened?” he asked, then added, looking suspicious, “Why’d you think I was _Mikey?”_

“It’s nothing. Mikey barged in here and peed while I was in the shower and then he flushed and...”

“And the water turned to boiling?” 

“Yeah, not fun. But I’m fine now,” April said, relaxing a little and unconsciously letting the shower curtain slip down a bit, inadvertently giving Donnie a view of the top of her cleavage. 

Donnie’s eyes followed the shower curtain down and locked onto the the view. She noticed him staring and smirked. 

“Donnnnieee,” she teased. “My eyes are up here, pal.” 

“Nggahh, oh god, sorry,” Donnie whipped his head up and was now pointedly not looking anywhere south of her hairline.

April couldn’t resist it. He was just too easy and too much fun to tease. “Good thing you guys don’t have a clear shower curtain,” she mused. “I’d have to resort to doing some sort cover up job with loofahs and suds.” 

She could practically see the image forming in his mind. “Uh, yeah, that... would...be...terrible?” he said haltingly. 

“You don’t sound too sure of that, Donnie boy.” She grinned as she watched him sputtering and trying to recover. 

Finally, she took pity on him. “I’m just yanking your chain.”

“Har har, Ape,” he said flatly. 

“All right, get out so I can finish up in here,” she cocked her head toward the inside of the shower. 

“Yeah, sure, of course!”

“And maybe talk to Mikey about knocking?” 

“Yeah, I’ll say something to him,” Donnie agreed and turned to go. “Sorry again for, you know,” he gestured vaguely toward her chest. 

“It’s fine,” she said, still smiling. 

“No, it’s not, I shouldn’t have...”

“No, seriously, Don,” she interrupted him. “I don’t mind,” she added with a wink and enjoyed watching the nervous grin spread across his face. 

“Uh, ok...then. Later,” he slowly backed out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him. 

April went back to rinsing off. _He really was too easy to rile up_ , she thought. But she had been telling the truth. She didn’t mind the way he looked at her. Not at all.


	5. Father Figure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April experiences Splinter's parenting style. And she and Donnie snuggle up for a movie.

It hadn’t taken long after meeting the turtles for April to see Splinter as another father figure in her life. They might not have had long, heart to hearts, but she knew that he looked after her the same way he looked after his sons. She had felt incredibly grateful when he had allowed her into their home to stay. 

And she was surprised when she found out just how seriously he took his role as a temporary foster parent to her. He asked her regularly about school and implored her to keep up her attendance and grades. “Your life may feel as though it has changed forever, and in a way it has,” he’d said. “But that does not mean your future must change as well. Be mindful of how your decisions today impact tomorrow’s goals.” 

Even more surprising was the fact that he had stepped seamlessly into the role of disciplinarian. She’d been stunned the first time he firmly told her to turn off the TV and go study. But she hadn’t pushed back. 

The first (and only time so far) that he’d seriously lectured her came a couple weeks into her stay. It had been a Friday night and Irma had invited her to go see a midnight movie. After the movie, they’d gone to a diner for some pie. It was close to 3am by the time she got back to the lair. Splinter was not pleased. 

He was sitting on the couch when she came in and when he got up she could immediately tell that A) he had been waiting for her and B) she was in trouble. 

“April, this is too late for you to be just coming home,” he’d started. “I expect in the future that you will be home by midnight, unless you have a very good reason not to be.”

April hmph-ed. “The guys stay out this late!” 

“Only when they must. You must also remember, April, that there are dangers out there that they are better prepared to deal with than you.” 

“I’m training!” she protested. 

“Yes, and you are doing well. But you are not yet skilled enough to warrant walking around outside alone at this time of night. I do not enjoy worrying over whether or not you are safe.”

April slumped. “But the guys...” she said weakly. 

“Do not think I do not worry about them as well. But unlike you tonight, they let me know if they will be out late.” He nodded his head toward the phone in her hand. 

“You will be home by 8 every night for the next week. After that, you will be home by 12.” His tone left no room for arguing. 

Since then, April had been careful to treat Splinter and his house rules with the same respect she would her own father, and there had been no other incidents. 

Until now. April blinked her eyes groggily at the sound of someone loudly clearing their throat. She felt warm and there was something heavy draped over her. She looked up to see Splinter standing over her, disapproval clearly written across his face at he stared down at where she and Donnie were snuggled under a blanket together on the couch. 

_**Earlier That Evening**_

It had been a quiet Tuesday night in the lair. The turtles had gone out on patrol, but had come back a few hours later reporting that nothing was going on out there. Nothing the cops couldn’t handle, anyway. 

April had stayed in to finish a paper for her history class. She’d finished earlier than expected and decided to change into her pajamas, pop some popcorn, and watch a movie until it was time for bed. 

She was an hour into The Fellowship of the Ring when the guys had come back and Donnie had joined her on the couch. There was still an hour left to go in the movie when April started to feel a little drowsy. 

“If you want to go to bed, I won’t mind,” Donnie said after her third yawn. 

“Nah, I can make it,” April waved him off. The truth was, they didn’t get too many nights alone like this. The other guys had all passed on the movie and were now in their own rooms doing their own thing. It was nice having Donnie all to herself. Smiling, she scooted a little closer to him. 

“This ok?” she asked as she gently laid her head on his shoulder. 

“Yeah, it’s great—I mean, it’s ok,” Donnie said, nodding frantically. She felt his arm muscles flex as he started and stopped a movement. She threw him a puzzled look. 

“You sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah, I just thought...is it ok if I, uh...” He tentatively raised his arm and put it around her. April could tell he wasn’t putting the full weight of it on her.

She grinned at him. “Absolutely,” she said firmly, grabbing his hand and pulling his arm tightly around her and snuggling into his side. 

Donnie’s arm felt pleasantly warm around her. She was wearing a tank top with her pajama shorts and she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so much of Donnie’s skin against her own...and this was only his arm. It was extremely comfortable being tucked into his side. “I could spend all night like this,” she said, barely thinking through what she was saying. 

“Me too.”

She could feel his voice, deeper and more relaxed than she was used to hearing it, rumble through the front of his shell. It sent a pleasant shiver through her. 

Mistaking her shiver for being cold, Donnie grabbed a nearby blanket and tossed it over them. “Better?” he asked. 

“Perfect,” April mumbled. It was the last thing she remembered saying before she drifted off. 

_**Three Hours Later** _

April looked around. She and Donnie must have fallen asleep together on the couch, but they had shifted from where she remembered them being. Donnie had laid down on his back at some point and though she was still tucked into him, she was now laying half on top of him with his arm still wrapped around her. One of her tank top straps had fallen off her shoulder while they slept and she could only imagine what this must look like. 

She jerked up and pulled the blanket off of them, then looked up at Splinter, waiting to see what he had to say on the matter. 

“Donatello,” Splinter said sharply. His son’s eyes snapped open and he sat up, quickly assessing the situation.

“Uh, Sensei, this is...it’s not what it looks like,” he said nervously, swinging his legs around to sit upright on the couch next to April. 

“We were just watching a movie and we must have fallen asleep,” April joined in. 

Splinter held up a hand, silencing them. 

He turned to April. “April, I believe you have your own bed in your own room. I suggest you go to it.” 

_You don’t have to tell me twice_ , April thought. She jumped up and shot Donnie a sympathetic look before high-tailing it to her room. As she was about to shut her door, she heard Splinter begin to address Donnie. She closed her door until there was just a fraction of an inch left, then stopped, listening. 

“Donatello, I am aware of your...feelings for April,” she heard Splinter say. “You are old enough to begin pursuing relationships. But you are also old enough to understand the responsibilities and consequences for your actions should you choose to engage in those relationships.”

“Sensei, April and I...”

“I am not finished. If you and April wish to...be _together_ outside of this home, there is nothing I can do but hope I have instilled in you enough sense to be responsible and safe.”

April’s eyes widened as she realized what Splinter was talking about. She could hear Donnie sputtering out a response and she could only imagine the furious blush that must be spreading across his face. 

“Donatello, I am still talking,” Splinter continued. “As I said, I can not control what goes on outside these sewers. But when the two of you are here, I expect you to act honorably and restrain yourselves. Especially when you are in common areas. Think of your brothers. What if one of them had walked out here. What would they have seen?”

April’s breath hitched as images of Donnie and her in situations better left private poured through her mind. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Donnie’s pleading voice. “They wouldn’t have seen anything, father. We fell asleep watching TV. I swear. April and I...we aren’t like that. She...she doesn’t feel that way about me. How could she?” The sadness in his voice made her heart throb. 

When Splinter spoke next, his voice sounded much softer. 

“I believe you, my son. Or rather, I believe some of what you said. I will take your word that this was an innocent mistake. But I do not believe you are right when you say April could never return your feelings.” He paused, then continued. “But if that time does come, I hope you remember this conversation. And the others we have had before, regarding how I expect my sons to treat women. You will respect her, honor her, and _be gentle with her_ if she chooses to share herself with you.”

“Yes, father.”

She heard Splinter sigh. “It is late. Go to bed, Donatello.”

April listened to Donnie and Splinter’s footsteps as they left the pit, then closed her door. She was surprised to realize Splinter had talked to his sons about girls, relationships...and, from the sound of things, sex. But then again, she thought as she laid down on her bed and pulled her covers over her, he was their father. And that’s what good fathers did for their children. Still, she thought to herself as she began to drift off, what she wouldn’t give to have been a fly on the sewer walls when those talks were happening.


	6. Texts From The Sewer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April and Donnie get a little bolder over text.

If April ever thought the guys might be a little behind the times technology-wise from having lived alone in the sewers for so long, that belief had been quickly dispelled.

It had become pretty evident that even when you took away all the gadgets and vehicles Donnie made for them, the turtles had a similar relationship to their tech as any human living above. They always had their phones on them and were frequent texters—including when they were all in the same room. 

She’d lost count of the amount of times she’d heard Raph and Mikey snickering to themselves while looking at their phones and then looking at each other. She had a sneaking suspicion the two of them had an ongoing text commentary on everything that happened around them. 

Once she moved into the lair, the guys started including her in on their texts, sending her warnings texts if Raph was in a particularly testy mood or snitching on each other when one of them had done something embarrassing. 

It had also been nice to have a way to talk when they were out on missions that she wasn’t allowed to be part of. 

Like tonight. The guys had been staking out a building they suspected the kraang was using for something big. They’d been watching the building in shifts over the last couple of days and tonight was Donnie’s turn. 

April had eaten dinner with Leo, Mikey, and Raph and then hung out and played video games with Mikey for a while before retreating to her room for the night. Truth be told, she was bored...and she missed having Donnie there. 

She pulled out her phone and texted him. 

_April: How’s my favorite staker outer?_

It wasn’t long before she got a text back. 

_Donnie: Cold. And bored. But pleased to hear I’m your favorite._

_April: Like you’re surprised. Tell me what you’re looking at._

_Donnie: A warehouse._

_April: I meant how’s the weather. Are there any stars out? Any people watching to be done?_

_Donnie: No people in sight. Not a lot of stars either. The light pollution from the city makes it hard to see them. You’d have to go out to the country to really see them._

_April: That sounds nice. I wish I was there right now._

_Donnie: ...at the stake out? Or in the country?_

April smiled to herself as she laid down on her bed. There were several ways she could think of answering him, but she went with the most honest. 

_April: Either. I’d be happy just to be hanging out with you._

There was a longer pause than usual before Donnie’s next text came through. 

_Donnie: In that case, let’s choose to be in the country._

_April: Good choice. How are we stargazing in the country?_

She watched as the “...” bubble appeared and disappeared several times, betraying that Donnie was clearly struggling with how to respond. She decided to take things into her own hands. 

_April: I think we should take a blanket out to a field and just lie there together and look up._

_Donnie: That sounds amazing._

_April: Right? We could bring snacks and just make a night of it._

_Donnie: Better not fall asleep on me again!_

_April: Lol yeah I don’t think Sensei was all that impressed with us last week!_

_Donnie: Yeah, I got a bit of a lecture._

April paused. Her first instinct was to reply “I know,” but she didn’t want Donnie to know she’d been eavesdropping on what was a pretty personal conversation. She decided to let him decide what to share. 

_April: Oh yeah? What did Splinter say?_

_Donnie: He just wanted to make sure we weren’t doing anything inappropriate._

April smirked as she texted, unable to stop herself. 

_April: Well...there’d be no Splinter around out in the country. We could be as inappropriate as we want lol_

She waited for Donnie to respond. Once again, she saw him begin to respond, then stop, then start and stop again. Sighing, she texted him again. 

_April: Or not._

_April: Sorry...guess I was being inappropriate about being inappropriate_. 

His response came immediately. 

_Donnie: No it’s ok._

_Donnie: What kind of inappropriate are we talking here?_

April but her lip and thought before responding. She didn’t want to scare him off. 

_April: Idk. Didn’t mind snuggling with you that night. It’d be nice to do that while we looked at the stars._

_Donnie: I’m fully on board for that_. 

Emboldened by the fact she didn’t have to look him in the face while talking to him, April pushed further. 

_April: Pretty romantic night in the country we’ve got going here._

_Donnie: Think Sensei would approve?_

April chuckled. She loved this side of Donnie—when he was able to break through his awkwardness he had a pretty good sense of humor. 

_April: He’s not invited haha_

_Donnie: Probably for the best. I don’t want to get a big lecture the day after about how I held your hand the wrong way or something._

_April: You’d hold my hand?_

_Donnie: Yeah...that ok?_

April’s heartbeat quickened. Finally. Sloths made moves faster than Donnie. She took a deep breath and responded. 

_April: More than ok._

_April: I think I’d kinda want more though._

_Donnie: Like what?_

_April: Like...a kiss maybe?_

Her heart was pounding as she hit send. She would never be this bold in real life. It took Donnie about 30 seconds to respond. 

_Donnie: Don’t tease me, April_. 

April’s heart sank for him. She wished he had a bit more confidence so he could see exactly what she saw in him. Shaking her head, she responded. 

_April: I’m not._

_Donnie: Wow...guess I better figure out a way to get us out to the country then!_

_April: Country schmuntry._

_Donnie: ???_

_April: You don’t have to take me out to the country to kiss me._

Again, she watched Donnie go into nervous panic mode as the little dots flashed across the bottom of her screen. She decided to make it easy for him. 

_April: Is that ok? Would you want to kiss me?_

This time he responded immediately. 

_Donnie: Yes_

_Donnie: God yes._

_April: Good._

_Donnie: So...when do you see that happening?_

April rolled her eyes and laughed. 

_April: I think it’s better if we don’t schedule it. But...it’s going to happen. So be ready._

_Donnie: I will be! With bells on!_

_April: Huh?_

_Donnie: It’s an old expression. I’ll be there with bells on?_

_Donnie: Ugh. Sorry for being so lame._

_April: You’re not lame Donnie. Just...eccentric?_

_April: Either way, I still like you._

_Donnie: Thanks April._

_Donnie: I gotta reposition. I’ll see you in the morning._

_April: Be safe! Xoxo_

April put her phone down next to her bed and laid there thinking through what had just happened. They’d been dancing around it for the last several weeks, and whatever it was between them had been seemingly expedited by her moving in. And now they’d finally turned the corner. She’d known for a while how Donnie felt about her. The guy had absolutely no chill. But up until now, she’d held back. 

Not anymore. 

April picked up her phone again and checked the time. It was 1:30am. Donnie wasn’t going to be home until close to 5. And then he’d be exhausted and go to bed and sleep until noon probably. And who knows where his head would be then. He was probably already thinking of a hundred reasons to doubt her feelings or push aside what she’d told him. 

April knew she couldn’t very well go out to find him, so she did the next best thing. She set her alarm for 4:30am, then tried to get some sleep. 

Three hours later. 

There was no grogginess when her alarm went off. Instead, she jumped out of bed and made a beeline for the bathroom where she splashed some water on her face and brushed her teeth. 

Calling on all of her training, she slipped through the lair and jumped the turnstiles. From there, she walked about 50 yards in the direction she knew Donnie would be coming in, then leaned against the wall...and waited. 

Fifteen minutes later, she heard him coming. Not wanting to alarm him, she pushed herself off the wall and stood in the middle of the sewer where he couldn’t miss her. As he came into sight, she gave him a little wave, then brought a finger up to her lips. 

He didn’t say anything until he was standing right in front of he. “April?” he whispered. “What are you doing up?” 

“I wanted to make sure you got home ok.”

He extended his arms to the sides. “Well, uh, here I am. Safe and sound.” He paused for a second and April could see it happening: the doubt and insecurity creeping in. So she acted fast. 

“I also couldn’t wait to give you this,” she whispered before stepping forward and closing the gap between them. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently pulled him down to her. 

She saw his eyes widening as his face came closer to hers, but then she shut her eyes and let her lips find his on their own. 

He let out a small noise of surprise and tensed as they connected, but almost immediately she felt him melt into the kiss. His arms wrapped around her and brought her closer to him. 

April moved her lips against his, encouraged by the way he was responding. She had been worried it would feel strange to kiss him, but it didn’t feel weird at all. It felt wonderful. His lips were softer than she’d imagined and she could taste the night air on him. She didn’t want to stop. 

But she also knew that Splinter was an early riser and she did not want to get caught looking like she was sneaking in from being out all night with Donnie, so after a minute or two, she pulled away with a happy little hum. She gazed up at Donnie. He was wearing a punch drunk smile and beaming down at her. 

“Who needs the country, huh?” she quipped, taking his hand and squeezing it. 

“Country schmuntry,” he joked back. “At least, that’s what the prettiest girl I’ve ever met once told me.” 

“She sounds like a smart cookie,” April whispered as they began walking back to the lair. 

Donnie nodded, still smiling like a loon. “The smartest.” 

After they were through the turnstiles, April squeezed his hand once more, then dropped it. “I’m, uh, going to go back to bed,” she said. “You should get some sleep.”

“Yeah,” Donnie nodded. “Hey April,” he whispered loudly after her as they began going their separate ways. “Thanks.” 

April grinned and shook her head. “No, thank you,” she responded, and blew him a kiss. 

He pretended to catch it, then turned to go to his room and promptly tripped over Mikey’s skateboard. 

April winced, then mouthed “Are you all right?”

Donnie recovered himself and gave her an awkward thumbs up. Suddenly, they both heard a stirring noise from within Splinter’s room. They each took one last glance at each other, then took off for their respective rooms. 


	7. In The Shellraiser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April and Donnie get creative in order to get some alone time.

It had been a week and a half since their first kiss. And in those 10 days, April had learned another lesson about living with the turtles: They spent way too much time together. 

In those several days, Donnie and April had had next to no time alone. When they _were_ left alone together, it was always with the rest of the gang nearby. As a result, any kisses they’d shared since their first were stolen and brief. 

“God, what I wouldn’t give for some real time alone with you,” April sighed one night as they broke apart from another secret kiss in the lab. 

Donnie pressed his forehead to hers. “I know exactly what you mean.” He kissed her again, pulling her bottom lip in between his own. April moaned quietly and ran her hand over his cheek before pulling away.

“We’ve gotta stop,” she murmured. Your brothers are right around the corner. Unless you want them walking in on us...” 

They’d decided to keep a lid on their new relationship for a while, mostly because they agreed that Splinter probably wouldn’t be in love with the idea of the two of them dating and living under the same roof. 

Donnie nodded. “I know, I just can’t seem to get enough.” He stood up and put some space between them.

April blew out a puff of air in frustration. She was living with her boyfriend and she could barely touch him. It was driving her crazy. She wanted more than quick kisses when no one was looking. She didn’t like confining their relationship to secretly holding hands on the couch while everyone else was too engrossed in video games or whatever was on TV to notice. 

Another thing that was starting to bug her was the fact that she always had to initiate the contact. She knew Donnie had always been awkward about physical contact between the two of them before they’d started dating, but she’d hoped he’d move past it once they got together. It would be nice if he was the one who grabbed her and pulled her around the corner for a kiss once in a while. 

Well, no sense holding it in, she thought. “Actually, Donnie,” she sighed. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.” 

She could practically see the color draining from his face as the panic set in. 

“Oh god...did I? I mean, what did I do? Whatever it is, I can fix it!” 

April put both her hands on his shoulders and rubbed, trying to sooth him. “Donnie, calm down. I’m not breaking up with you or anything.” The panic in his eyes faded a bit. 

“Look, I’m a firm believer in speaking up if something’s bothering you, so consider this the squeaky wheel asking for some grease,” she continued. 

“Donnie, I obviously really like you. And I like spending time with you...and touching you,” she smiled shyly. “And I think I’m correct in saying you like spending time with me too?” 

Donnie nodded quickly. 

“And you like touching me, too, right?”

He nodded again. 

“Then why don’t you more?” 

He looked puzzled. “What do you mean?” 

“It just always seems like I’m the one who has to start things. I kiss you, I reach out for your hand. I started that thing under the table at dinner last night...”

Donnie grinned and she knew he was recalling how she’d started playing footsie with him. 

“Anyway,” she continued. “It just feels like you never, you know. Initiate? It kinda puts a dent in a girl’s self-esteem,” she ended with a shrug. 

Donnie began talking very quickly. “Oh, oh April I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. I’ve been an idiot. I just,” he gestured vaguely. “I know I can come on strong and I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed and also I’m not all that sure what you want me to do sometimes and I just really don’t want to mess this up by doing something you don’t want me to,” he rambled. 

“Hey, hey, it’s ok,” April said, motioning for him to keep his voice down. “How about this: As my boyfriend, I am giving you carte blanche to kiss me, hold my hand, and touch me whenever you want. I’ll let you know if I’m not feeling it at the time, but unless I say something...you can touch me whenever.” 

“Really?” Donnie grinned broadly. 

“Really really,” April smiled back. “Of course, you could be touching and kissing me more if we could get some darn time alone,” she glanced at the open lab door. 

“Yeah, I know,” Donnie agreed. 

April snapped her fingers once. “Donnie, I’m putting this in your court. Officially.”

“Huh?”

“You’re going to figure out a way for us to have some alone time. Like, at least an hour. Think of it as a way to make up for the fact that I’ve initiated everything so far,” she said, keeping her tone light. 

Donnie cocked his head. “Yes ma’am.”

“Don’t take too long,” April added. “Because I really don’t want to wait. And I don’t think you want to either,” she said with a wink. She glanced again at the door, then raised herself on her toes and gave him another quick kiss. 

They pulled apart just Leo stuck his head through the doorway. “Hey, Don, it’s your turn,” he said, referring the the video game tournament that was going on in the pit. 

April responded before Donnie could open his mouth. “I’ll play in his place. Donnie just got started on a new project.” 

* * *

She didn’t have to wait long for Donatello to come up with a plan. In the end, it wound up being pretty simple. 

April and the guys had just come in from a night of patrolling. It was late, so April had made to turn in. She retreated to her room, counted to 20, then walked back out. 

“Hey, I need to run out for something,” she announced to no one in particular. 

“Can’t it wait?” Leo asked. “It’s too late for you to be out alone. You know Splinter’s rule.” 

“No...it really can’t.” 

“What could be so important...” Raph groaned before April cut him off. 

“I need to go to the drug store.” 

“We’ve got medical supplies Ape,” Leo assured her. 

“Not the kind I need.”

“Try us.”

April raised an eyebrow. “Tampons, Leo. Ya got any of those?” 

It was incredibly satisfying watching his cheeks turn pink. She could see Raph inching out of the room in her peripheral vision. 

“Er, no...no we don’t,” Leo mumbled. 

That’s when Donnie piped up. “Come on, April, I’ll take you in the Shellraiser.” 

Leo shrugged and shot him a look that said better you than me and walked off toward the kitchen. 

April and Donnie didn’t say a word to each other until they’d safely shut the doors on the Shellraiser. They exchanged a look, then both burst out laughing. 

“I gotta hand it to you, D,” April sniggered. “That was a pretty good idea.”

Donnie plopped down into the driver’s seat and started it up, still chuckling to himself. “The best plans are always simplest ones,” he said as they pulled out onto the street. 

“I knew we needed a mission that you had to be part of, that none of the other guys would want to tag along for, and that no one would ask any follow-up questions about.”

“And my menstrual cycle just popped into your mind?” April said dryly. 

“Eh heh,” Donnie laughed awkwardly. “I had to think of _something_ that would make them uncomfortable.”

He pulled the Shellraiser into a dark alley and shut off the engine. “There you go, my sweet chinchilla, alone at last. Does your man deliver or what?” 

“Oh he delivers,” April said with a smirk as she climbed into his lap. “Hey you,” she said looking down at him.

Donnie rested his hands lightly on her hips. “Uh, hey. So, what did you want to do?” 

“I’ll give you one guess.”

April closed the distance between them and slanted her lips over his. She ran her tongue along the seam of his lips and he opened to her, his fingers tightening on her hips as she brushed her tongue against his. “Mmm I’ve been thinking about this all day,” she murmured. Donnie hummed in agreement and began kissing down the side of her neck. April ran her nails lightly up his arms and around the back of his neck. She reached up and tugged gently on his mask. “Ok if I take this off?” 

“Yeah...absolutely,” Donnie nodded before diving back in to lick and suck at her neck. 

“Oh, Donnie, that feels...” April let out a groan. “Let me just...” she adjusted how she was sitting so that she was straddling his lap. 

“Oh my god...” she heard him whisper as she settled in place. April decided it was her turn to make him feel good. She nipped at the skin where his neck joined his shoulders and was rewarded with a shiver and a moan. She licked up his neck to just under his jaw then resumed kissing him. 

God, thought April. I could just do this all night. She loved the feeling of Donnie’s strong arms wrapped around her. 

“Mmm, Donnie?” she sighed, pulling back for a second. “Remember what I said about you having carte blanche to touch me?” She looked at him expectantly. 

“What?” Donnie asked hazily. 

“I want you to touch me,” April said gently. She grabbed one of his hands and started dragging it up her stomach. She stopped when his fingertips were grazing the underside of her breasts. His eyes widened and he looked up at her. 

“Carte blanche,” she reminded him. 

Achingly slow, Donnie’s hands crept upward until he was cupping her breasts. April hummed in pleasure and arched her back to press into his hands. 

“Oh god...this is... _wow,_ April,” Donnie stammered as his hands weighed her breasts and squeezed gently. 

April pulled him back in for a kiss. She felt like she was in heaven. Donnie’s hands felt so good on her and she squeezed her thighs against his own, pulling a groan out of him. 

Eventually, Donnie moved his hands away from her breasts. One hand went up and tangled in her hair and the other traveled around and down until it was cupping her ass. April moaned as he used it to pull her closer to him, but then pulled away from him with a sigh. 

“We...we should stop,” she said softly. 

Donnie quickly withdrew his hand from her ass and took a deep breath. “Sorry,” he breathed. 

April frowned. “For what?”

“I shouldn’t have...touched you like that.”

“You mean on my ass?”

Donnie turned faintly pink and nodded. April rolled her eyes and smiled down at him. “I had no problem with that,” she said. “It’s just that,” she paused and wrinkled her nose in thought. “I liked it too much...you know what I mean?” 

Donnie shook his head. 

“Look, Donnie...” April weighed her words. “You did nothing wrong. I...I really liked that. All of that,” she emphasized. 

“And I could very easily have continued. But...well...” she drifted off. 

Donnie was looking at her concernedly. “What? You can tell me, April.” 

“I’m just not ready. And I really don’t want my first time to be in the front seat of the Shellraiser. Or in the back of the Shellraiser. I don’t really want the Shellraiser involved at all.”

Donnie’s eyes widened. “OH...oh you thought...that we...here...right now?”

“I don’t know if that’s what would have happened if I hadn’t stopped us,” April said quickly. “I just didn’t want either of us to get too, you know, carried away?” 

“Honestly that possibility hadn’t even crossed my mind,” Donnie said, still looking surprised. 

April leaned down and gave him a quick peck. “Such a gentleman,” she said before lifting herself off him and flopping back into the seat next to him. “We should probably head back.”

Donnie nodded and started the engine. As they got on their way, April noticed him stealing glances at her. 

“What?” she finally asked. 

“Uh...I was just wondering. What you were talking about earlier...the, uh, thing you don’t want to happen in the Shellraiser...”

“Sex isn’t a bad word, D.”

“Sorry. Sex. Um...so is that something you think about?” She could tell he was making an effort to sound casual. 

“Of course I think about it,” she replied. “You don’t?” 

He let out a breathy, nervous laugh. “Maybe once in a while.” 

“Donnie.” 

“Ok, yeah, I think about it,” he admitted. “I just never thought that you did. Or that you would, you know, think about it with...me.” 

“Of course I think about having sex with you,” April said. “You’re my boyfriend. I just don’t want to have sex with you now. There’s just...it’s complicated, you know?” 

Donnie nodded. 

“It’s not because of you,” she added hastily. “I just...there’s a lot going on right now and even if there wasn’t...I just think I need more time.” 

Donnie shot her a warm smile before looking back at the road. “Honestly, Ape, just hearing that you consider it is...more than I would have ever dared hoped for.” 

April grinned. “Well, you better adjust your hopes because it’s going to happen one day. I mean, not like this week or even probably this month...but one day it’s going to happen. So prepare yourself,” she teased, enjoying the combination of excitement, happiness, and anxiety that played out over his face the rest of the drive home.


	8. Busted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donnie and April aren't as sneaky as they'd like to think.

They only lasted two more weeks before getting busted.

In hind sight, they could’ve been more careful. April blamed herself. It had all started during a sparring session. Training was one of the few times of the day when April and Donatello could openly touch one another and they took full advantage of it. 

On one hand, training had become a lot more fun. Maybe it was because they were now dating or maybe it was because his brain didn’t have room to panic while he was also concentrating on fighting and flirting at the same time, but sparring brought out a confident side of Donnie that April loved. 

On the other hand, it had become torturous to be so physically close to her boyfriend—literally on top of him at times—and not be able to do anything but fight him. It was incredibly frustrating and by the end of a sparring session she often felt the need to retreat to her room to “calm down.” 

Today was turning out no different. While Mikey, Leo, and Raph faced off against each other, April and Donnie were circling each other at the other end of the dojo. Donnie expertly twirled his staff, showing off the way he was able to manipulate the wood across his knuckles before bringing it around to smack April lightly on the shin. 

“Show off,” she muttered, unable to keep the smile fully off her face. 

“Jealous much?” he quipped, spinning the bo again. 

“No,” she lied. “I just can’t tell when the hit is coming when you do that.”

“That’s the point, sweetheart,” he teased. “It’s called a distraction.” 

“Well, it’s working,” she said quietly as she moved closer to him to try to land a hit. “Because now all I can think about is how good you are with your fingers,” she purred. 

She could practically see Donnie’s brain short-circuiting and took advantage of the moment, landing a swift kick to the middle of his plastron that knocked him back a few steps. She heard Mikey cheer her on with a little “whoop!” from across the room. 

He recovered and gave her a look. “That was hardly fair.”

“It’s called a distraction,” she sassed back. 

She heard Donnie grumble something that sounded like “I’ll give you a distraction,” and they were off, ducking and exchanging blows. 

She knew of course that he was taking it easy on her. He always did, especially compared to his brothers. She knew that he could completely dominate her if he wanted—and wasn’t _that_ a tempting thought to consider? 

April paid for her lapse in concentration a second later when Donnie managed to swing his staff behind her and take her legs out from under her. She landed on her back with a soft “oof.”

She laid there panting while Donnie stood over her, leaning on his bo and smirking. 

“How you doing down there?”

April pouted playfully at him. “Just dandy.” She accepted his hand and let him help her up. “Admit it,” she said so only he could hear. “You just enjoy having me on my back.”

“It’s a view I could get used to,” he replied, stunning her. 

She quickly recovered. “Come to my room tonight then,” she whispered. “After everyone else is asleep.”

“You sure?”

April snuck a glance at the others. “Yeah...I think we’ll be safe.” She saw Splinter begin walking in their direction and she hastily returned to a fighting stance. 

* * *

Later that night, April was once again on her back with her boyfriend hovering over her, but this time it was much more enjoyable. 

She sighed as Donnie kissed up her neck and nipped at her earlobe. She wound her arms around his neck and let her fingernails graze the sensitive spots where his skin disappeared into his shell. She was rewarded with a pleasurable hum she could feel against her skin as Donnie continued kissing her. 

She gently directed his lips back to her own, then tilted her head to deepen the kiss. Donnie slid a hand into her hair and gently worked her ponytail holder out before twining his hand in her hair, softly massaging her scalp. 

“God, Donnie,” she moaned. “That feels so good.”

Feeling wanton and bold, April untangled one of her legs from his and slid it out to the side, then bent her knee until she was semi-cradling him against her pelvis. This was new territory for them and she felt a little thrill at how intimate it felt to have him there. 

Apparently Donnie felt it too. He slid a hand down her side, stopping to give her ass a squeeze, and grabbed her thigh and hoisted her leg higher. He surged against her and April could feel the bottom ridge of his plastron pushing against her _right there._

April gasped and dug her fingernails into his shoulders and kissed him back harder. She squirmed against him, bucking her hips slightly, causing him to still and squeeze his eyes shut. 

“You all right?” she asked. 

Donnie shook his head, still not opening his eyes. “Yeah...I’m good. I...uh, just need a moment.”

April nodded and rubbed her hands soothingly over his arms, admiring the muscles that stood out as he braced himself over her. 

Finally, he opened his eyes and looked down at her with a crooked smile. “Sorry...just, uh, got a little carried away,” he laughed awkwardly. 

“Don’t apologize,” April said gently. “I’ve been having a great time.”

“Oh yeah? More fun than when we were sparring earlier?” he teased. 

“Infinitely. I’m actually a little sore from when you knocked my legs out from under me,” she mused, giving his arm a playful smack. 

Donnie’s face fell. “Really? Oh god...I’m sorry, Ape, I didn’t mean, well, of course I meant...I mean, I was just trying to...”

April silenced him with another kiss. “I’m fine,” she assured him as they broke apart. “My ass is a little sore is all.”

Donnie grinned down at her. “Want...me to...rub it?” he asked, the blush on his cheeks undermining his attempt at sounding smooth. 

April cracked up. “Donnie!” she playfully scolded. 

_“DONATELLO!”_

They both jumped at the sound of Splinter’s voice coming through the door. Donnie shot up off of April as she scrambled off her bed and attempted to straighten up her appearance. They exchanged a terrified glance and April nodded for him to open the door. 

Splinter was standing on the other side of it looking none too pleased. Beyond him, April could see the others poking their heads out of their rooms, drawn out by hearing their brother’s name yelled. 

“Donatello. April. I wish to speak to you in the dojo,” Splinter said, his voice making it clear this was an order, not a request. 

He turned and they followed after him, passing the others who were giving them curious looks. 

He closed the door behind them in the dojo, then turned to face them. “Donatello, I believe I asked that you and April restrain yourselves while you are under this roof. Explain yourself.” 

“I’m sorry, Sensei,” Donnie said, hanging his head. “We thought...we thought we were being discreet.” 

“Discretion can be a valuable thing, but in this circumstance it was still disobedience,” Splinter boomed. 

April didn’t like what she was hearing. It sounded to her like Splinter was trying to tell them they couldn’t be together. She huffed and he turned to her. 

“Do you have something you wish to say?” 

April paused, feeling intimidated, then spoke up. “Master Splinter, Donnie and I...we like each other. And we want to be with each other. And I don’t think it’s right for you to try to keep us apart.” 

Splinter peered down at her and she noticed his expression softened. 

“April, I am not trying to...keep you apart, as you say. If you and Donatello wish to be together, I will not stand in your way.

But, you must understand that while your father is... indisposed, your safety is my responsibility.”

April shook her head. “I do understand that. But I’m not in any danger. It’s just Donnie.”

Splinter seemed to be considering something before speaking again. “April, let me ask you this. If this was your home, and your father found you and Donatello in your room together, behind a closed door...” he drifted off for a second and raised an eyebrow. “How would he respond?” 

April blushed and looked down, quickly getting the point. “He wouldn’t like it.” 

“April, I respect your father. I know you do as well. That is why it is important that we continue to respect his rules and parenting decisions...even if he is not currently available to enforce them.” 

April nodded, still looking down. 

Splinter sighed. “It is...natural at your age to want to explore the possibility of intimacy.” 

April snuck a glance at Donnie and noticed he, too, was now blushing. 

“But I caution the both of you to act responsibly and be careful. Be careful with your bodies and your hearts. I will also reiterate to you, Donatello, that I do not wish to see any...heavy petting under this roof.”

April fought mightily to hold back the snort that bubbled up from having to hear Splinter use the term “heavy petting.” 

He shook his head at her, then continued. “The rule from now on is that if the two of you are alone in a room together, the door must be open. Now, it is late and we should all go to bed. Alone.”

Having made his point, he left the two of them to say their good nights. 

Donnie shrugged. “Coulda been worse.”

“True. Honestly I nearly died when your dad said ‘heavy petting.’ Who even says that anymore?” April giggled. 

“He’s right though,” Donnie said as they made to leave. “We should try to be more careful.” 

“I know, I know,” April agreed. 

As they walked through the door, three heads slowly turned toward them from the pit. 

They halted, wondering how much the other turtles had heard. A moment later, their question was answered. 

“April and Donnie sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” Mikey sang quietly, a shit-eating grin spread across his face.

“Shut up, Mikey,” Donnie hissed. 

“So it’s true?” Leo asked as April and Donnie joined the rest of them. “You guys are together?”

They both nodded. “For a few weeks now,” April added. 

“And you didn’t tell us? You sly dog,” Mikey laughed, punching Donnie in the arm. 

“Mikey,” he growled. 

“I just can’t believe that _Donnie_ is the first one of us to get in trouble for having a girl in his room,” Raph snarked. 

“Uh, I was in her room,” Donnie corrected him. 

“Yeah, doing what exactly?” Mikey teased. 

_“Mikey!”_ April, Donnie, and Leo all scolded him simultaneously. April threw Leo a grateful look. 

He smiled back. “Glad you guys finally figured it out. We were all wondering,” he said, patting each of them on the shoulder. “All right, lets get back to bed.”

Mikey and Raph shrugged and made their ways to their respective rooms. April turned back to Donnie.

“Cat’s out of the bag now,” she said with smile. 

“Again, coulda gone worse,” he replied. 

“Story of the night.”

“Story of my life,” he said a snort. 

“I don’t know about that,” April said quietly as she roped her arms around his neck. “I think your life is probably pretty good right now,” she whispered before pulling him down for a lingering kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone who stuck around for this. I appreciate all your comments - they truly warm the heart.


End file.
